Advanced Web Ranking’s latest Q3 2025 report highlights notable changes in Google organic clickthrough behavior, showing shifts in how users interact with branded, commercial, and longer queries. The analysis compares July–September with April–June, using an international dataset that captures broad global search patterns.

Branded Desktop Queries Push Clicks Further Down the Page

Branded searches on desktop demonstrated the clearest movement this quarter.

• Position 1 CTR dropped by 1.52 points, signaling reduced dominance for the top listing.
• Positions 2–6 gained a combined 8.71 points, revealing that users are increasingly exploring multiple results when searching for brands.

Unbranded query performance remained stable, suggesting this shift is specific to brand-oriented SERPs.

Commercial and Location Intent Queries Tighten at the Top

CTR declines were most pronounced in commercial and local searches, two query types known for crowded SERP layouts and rich result blocks.

Commercial queries (e.g., including “buy,” “price”):

• Positions 1 and 2 lost a combined 4.20 points, with position 1 dropping 3.01 points.

Location-based queries:

• Position 1 declined 2.52 points on desktop and 2.13 points on mobile.

These patterns indicate that rich results, maps, and modules are further diluting the top organic slot’s clickshare.

Longer Queries Remain the Steadiest CTR Segment

Query length continues to influence CTR predictability:

• On desktop, two-word and three-word searches fell 1.22 and 1.24 points respectively at position 1.
• 4+ word queries were the only group that maintained steady CTR during the quarter.
• On mobile, one-word queries gained 1.52 points, reversing the desktop trend.

Short, high-volume desktop search terms remain the most volatile, while long-tail searches continue to provide more stable CTR behavior.

Industry Movements: Gains and Losses Across Verticals

Patterns varied significantly across the 18 industries analyzed:

• Arts & Entertainment saw the steepest decline, with desktop position 1 down 5.13 points.
• Travel delivered the strongest improvement, with position 2 on desktop up 2.46 points.
• Shopping experienced redistribution, as desktop position 1 dropped 2.10 points, while positions 2 and 3 gained a collective 2.83 points.

These findings confirm that CTR is not shifting uniformly, certain verticals are seeing pressure at the top, while others are spreading clicks across more upper-SERP positions.

Why These CTR Shifts Matter

For brands monitoring performance stability:

• Branded desktop clicks are no longer concentrated solely at position 1, meaning additional listings may now capture meaningful traffic.
• Businesses relying on short, generic desktop queries should expect continued quarter-to-quarter fluctuations.
• Longer, more specific searches remain the most reliable traffic segments.

Outlook for the Next Quarter

AWR’s dataset does not point to a single driver behind the shifts, but the directional trends are clear:

• Branded desktop clicks are dispersing beyond the top spot.
• Commercial and local queries remain highly competitive.
• Long-tail searches appear the most resilient.

As Google’s SERPs evolve with richer features and increased user exploration, marketers should prepare for ongoing redistribution of organic clickshare, especially at the top of the page.

Source: Data derived from the Q3 2025 CTR report published by Advanced Web Ranking, summarized via Search Engine Journal.